Championship unification

Championship unification is the act of combining two or more separate professional wrestling championships into a single title.

History

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In professional wrestling, championships may be unified to consolidate the number of championships in a given promotion, or to add legitimacy and prestige to a certain title's lineage. In a title-for-title match, one of three things will happen:

  • One of the championships is dropped
  • A brand new championship is created
  • Both championships remain active and are defended and lost together under one name, but title changes reflect each individual title's history

Notable events

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Triple H holding the former WCW Championship (left) and WWF Championship (right) as the Undisputed WWF Champion
 
Randy Orton unified the World Heavyweight Championship (left) and WWE Championship (right) as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "NWA National Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  2. ^ "411MANIA". Going Old School: Starrcade '87. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  3. ^ Emelett, Ed (September 1995). "Japan's Triple Crown: "It's the Most Important Title in the World!"". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. London Publishing Co.: 28. ISSN 1043-7576.
  4. ^ "World Heavyweight Title (Omaha)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  5. ^ Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  6. ^ "J-CROWN Octuple Title Unification Tournament". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  7. ^ "411MANIA". The Chrononaut Chronicles: Clash of the Champions XXVII. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  8. ^ "ECW Living Dangerously 1999 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  9. ^ a b c "The complex history of WWE's era of unification". WWE. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  10. ^ The World Wrestling Entertainment Yearbook 2003 Edition. Simon and Schuster. 30 June 2008. ISBN 9780743480628. Retrieved 7 February 2019 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ "WWE RAW #483 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  12. ^ "WWE No Mercy". www.prowrestlinghistory.com. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  13. ^ "WWA World Heavyweight Title (Australia)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  14. ^ "Title History". 10 June 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  15. ^ ROH Reviving Pure Championship - 411 Mania.com
  16. ^ "IWA - Historica Unificacion en la IWA". 17 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-02-17. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  17. ^ "WWE News, RAW Results, Smackdown Results". Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  18. ^ "WWE: Inside WWE > Title History > World Tag Team > 20090405 - Carlito & Primo". 8 April 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-04-08. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  19. ^ "Divas Championship". WWE. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  20. ^ "CALDWELL'S WWE TLC PPV RESULTS 12/15: Live, in-person coverage of Cena vs. Orton unification match from Houston". www.pwtorch.com. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  21. ^ a b "7/2 Powell's GFW/Impact Wrestling Slammiversary live review: Lashley vs. Alberto El Patron to unify the GFW and Impact Wrestling Championships, Scott Steiner and Josh Mathews vs. Jeremy Borash and Joseph Park, Sonjay Dutt vs. Low Ki in a best of three falls match for the X Division Championship". prowrestling.net. 2 July 2017. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  22. ^ NJPW. "Anniversary Event Preview | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING". NJPW. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  23. ^ Powell, Jason (March 13, 2021). "3/13 Impact Wrestling Sacrifice results: Powell's review of Rich Swann vs. Moose in an Impact World Championship and TNA Title unification match, The Good Brothers vs. Juice Robinson and David Finlay for the Impact Tag Titles, Deonna Purrazzo vs. ODB for the Knockouts Title, TJP vs. Ace Austin for the X Division Title". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  24. ^ Thomas, Jeremy (August 19, 2021). "TNA World Heavyweight Championship Retired on Impact Wrestling". 411mania. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  25. ^ Currier, Joseph (December 21, 2021). "TITLE UNIFICATION MATCH ADDED TO NXT NEW YEAR'S EVIL". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  26. ^ Holder, James (December 29, 2021). "NXT Cruiserweight Championship Set To Be Retired". Inside the Ropes. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  27. ^ Currier, Joseph (January 4, 2022). "WWE UNIFIES NXT NORTH AMERICAN AND CRUISERWEIGHT TITLES". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  28. ^ Currier, Joseph (February 25, 2022). "Lesnar vs. Reigns at WWE WrestleMania 38 now a championship unification match". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  29. ^ "WWE unveils new Undisputed WWE Universal Championship belt". June 2, 2023. Retrieved April 9, 2024.